1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for holding a high-voltage battery pack, and more particularly to a battery pack holding apparatus that firmly holds a high-voltage battery pack with use of less force than a conventional apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to a global increase in fuel prices and global emission control, improvement in fuel efficiency and development of environment-friendly vehicles have been key issues in the automobile industry. To achieve these objectives, leading automobile companies have developed technologies for reduction of fuel consumption. A representative technology is electric vehicles, which run on electricity. Electric vehicles, such as hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, and electric cell vehicles are vehicles which store electricity in rechargeable battery packs and are propelled by an electric motor (or electric motors) powered by the rechargeable battery packs.
Generally such an electric vehicle includes a high-voltage battery to power the vehicle motors, and the high-voltage battery should remain electrically fully-charged to power the motors while the vehicle is being driven. Accordingly, the electric vehicle includes a plug for charging to charge the battery in the electric vehicle using an electrical outlet. However, quick charging may be difficult in electric vehicles when the battery is completely discharged during the use of a vehicle. Therefore, a method of replacing the fully-discharged battery with a fully-charged battery has been developed.
However, in the conventional battery replacement the battery may be difficult to be removed once mounted in an electric vehicle, thus increasing a battery replacement time. Accordingly, there is the demand for a battery holding apparatus which may firmly hold a battery mounted as well as allowing the mounted battery to be easily detached as necessary, for example, for replacement.
The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.